the bridge learning centre

The Bridge Learning Centre

Towards a more inclusive future

A disability is the result of an individual’s interaction with society and is not an attribute of the person.

The Bridge @ SBS is an inclusive partnership between Safa British School and The Bridge Learning Center (a CDA & DHA licenced therapy center). The program is tailored to Students of Determination with developmental challenges such as ASD, ADHD and Down Syndrome.

The bridge helps Children of Determination to effectively access and attend mainstream school by using clinically proven methods including: Developmental Psychology, Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy. It is delivered alongside a strong focus on academics as per a differentiated British curriculum, in addition to daily living skills via ASDAN interventions.

The class is led by a qualified SEN Teacher along with behavioural therapists. This robust multidisciplinary approach skillfully blends therapeutic intervention with schooling. We aim to encapsulate best practice from clinical disciplines, alongside the high standards of the British National Curriculum.

Safa BritishSchool is committed to unlock the potential of all students by removing barriers and bridging gaps. The Bridge @ SBS is just one way SBS look to do this!

Each child benefits from an individualised timetable ensuring that all required services are provided on site at school within our bespoke Bridge classes. 

Children work on a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio with staff, in a class of approximately 8 students.

Services

Students aged 3 – 10 are immersed into a daily program, following an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that incorporates academic learning experiences alongside therapeutic intervention. Each IEP is clearly tailored to the child’s requirements and outlines ambitious targets and necessary interventions. Students are educated in a therapeutic setting, with a small group of six students; with a minimum of three teachers/therapists per class. Children access to intensive daily ABA, Speech & Play therapy to accelerate progress and prepare them for wider experiences, such as school. A great value and proven way to ensure your child’s progress! Register interest to find out if the program is right for your child.

  • 5 days a week: Build daily routines and structure with our daily program, running Sunday to Thursday and following a structure inspired by the school day.
  • 3* hours per day: Each day your child will access an array of targeted therapy and modified British Curriculum lessons, alongside interactive social learning opportunities, such as crafts, music, circle time and snack time.
  • 10 hours per week: Each week, your child will receive 10 hours* of targeted ABA, Play & Speech therapy. This will include a mixture of one-to-one and small group sessions based on their IEP goals.
  • 3 terms a year: Like school, the program runs for 3 terms a year. Each term is 14 weeks long with a short break in between. We also run a summer program.

At The Bridge, we utilise ABA methods to teach students academics inline with the Primary British National Curriculum, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and ASDAN vocational curriculum. In addition, we focus on embedding prerequisite skills for learning, such as: attending to the teacher, sitting appropriately, tolerating delay, completing tasks independently, social communication and self care skills.

Our programs are written in collaboration with our Board Certified Behaviour Analysts, who have years of experience in the field of school based ABA. All of our teaching assistants are fully qualified Registered Behavioural Technicians (RBT) Therapists. This ensures that well targeted ABA therapy is consistently delivered throughout the school day.

Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) helps our learners to improve social interactions, learn new skills, maintain positive behaviours and minimise negative behaviours.

Speech Therapy is an essential element of supporting children with Communication & Interaction barriers. We incorporate group and one-to-one speech therapy sessions into each child’s bespoke daily timetable. A partnered DHA senior Speech Therapist will work with your child, to establish how their communication may be improved.

Our Speech and Language Therapists (SALT) can support with: articulation problems, fluency problems, resonance or voice problems, and trouble with voice pitch, volume, and quality. The SALT also targets receptive and expressive language delays and disorders.

Speech therapy can enable children to express themselves more effectively. It enables our students to communicate socially, while also expressing their needs and feelings. Our non-verbal students are given tools to promote language development and enable them to understand and communicate more effectively.

  • Specific Learning Difficulties

Specific learning difficulties in writing, mathematics and reading are very common – up to 10% of us are effected. Get the answers and guidance needed to support your child’s education.

  • Exam Accommodations

If your child requires exam accommodations such as extra time, exemptions, assistive technology or a scribe; our team of Special Educators & Psychologists are equipped to produce official recommendations for school accommodations.

  • Developmental Difficulties

A comprehensive diagnostic assessment to outline developmental difficulties, such as Autism. Our multidisciplinary team will be guided by the clinical lead to choose the assessments best suited to your child.

Applied Behavioral Analysis

Obtain a complete profile of your child’s developmental stages in accordance with their behavioral milestones. Our BCBA can offer a comprehensive assessment, including the VB-Mapp & ABLLS protocols.

We are a nurturing community at The Bridge, and family well-being matters to us. Our support does not end at school. It is our goal to ensure parents, nannies and other family members feel supported and confident to care for their child. Regular training sessions and BCBA home-care plans are on offer. It is important that skills learnt at school are generalised to the home environment, and to do this we ensure efficient collaboration with parents and carers.

It is important to ensure the physical development and meet the sensory needs of our students. During each school day, physical activity is planned by our trained therapists. This includes fine motor development essential for writing, playing, eating and self care; Gross motor activities to increase core strength, balance, hand eye coordination and fitness; and Motor planning skills which are essential for knowing which steps to take to perform any physical task.

Many students also benefit from support with Sensory Processing issues. We can put provision in place that helps regulate a child’s feelings, enable them to focus and reduce anxiety. A tailored Sensory Diet will be provided to each student as required, delivered throughout each school day to ensure optimum performance.

Early intervention is put in place when a young child has not met one or more of their developmental milestones. Our rigorous assessment and expertise identifies when a student’s development is not inline with their same age peers. Tailored programs of intensive intervention are put in place to target these gaps. Evidence widely supports the great benefits of early intervention and the possibility for children to catch up with their peers as a result.

Our school Readiness programs focus on enabling children to gain the skills required to succeed in the mainstream classroom. These skills include: speech and communication, following instructions, listening to the teacher, sitting appropriately, scheduling, focusing on a task, academic skills and many more of the prerequisite skills required for students to effectively engage with learning opportunities. Once children are prepared, they may be gradually transitioned into the mainstream classroom at a rate that suites them.